Khador
Khador ', officially the Greater Khadoran Empire, is a country in Western Immoren. It shares borders with Rhul, Ios, Cygnar, and the unpopulated Bloodstone Marches and polar regions. Formerly, it shared a border with Lael, but as of 605 A.R. the country was successfully invaded and annexed into Khador, throwing it's future sovereignty into doubt. Khador is a unitary imperial monarchy with Empress Ayn Vanar XI is its current head of state and government. Modern Khador draws its roots from the ancient Khardic Empire that existed prior to the Orgoth Invasion. It was a major participant in the rebellion against the Orgoth and helped create the colossi used against the occupying forces. The Kingdom of Khador came into being after signing the Corvis Treaties with the rest of the Iron Kingdoms creating the modern nation-states in Western Immoren. Khador is a major military power and is currently at war with Cygnar, the Protectorate of Menoth, and the Cryxian Empire. Additionally, Khador is involved in smaller skirmishes with lesser powers. =Geography= The climate ranges from steppes in the south to humid continental in much of central Khador; subarctic beyond the Nyschatha mountain range to tundra in the polar north. Winters vary from cool along the southern coast of the Khardic Sea to frigid in the north; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cold in the north with frequent thunderstorms throughout the spring and late autumn. Khador's terrain has just as much variety as its climate: broad plain with low hills south of the Bitterock River, vast coniferous forest and tundra in the north, uplands and mountains along the northern and western border regions. Along the south and around the Shield Lakes, there are temperate coniferous and deciduous woodlands and moores. Due to its great size and variation, Khador has great abundance of natural resources. This includes major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, silver, iron ore, timber, and arable land for farming in the south. However, due to the great geographic distances in Khador coupled with the climate and terrain, the exploitation of natural resources has been hindered. =History= A traditional rival of the Kingdom of Cygnar, Khador is the largest (by area) of the Iron Kingdoms, although Cygnar is the more populous of the two. It appears to be a monarchical state; its' present ruler, Queen Ayn Vanar XI, governing from her seat in the nation's capital, Korsk. A harsh winter kingdom, Khador contains few natural resources (and the few it does possess are far too spread out to permit efficient extraction), and its sparsely populated reaches are home to a comparatively rustic citizenry – a sharp contrast to its more modern neighbours, Cygnar, Llael and Ord, who consider the Khadorans to be primitive and backwards. This is a somewhat accurate conception, but Khador is modernising and progressing in strides beyond what the neighbouring Kingdoms had previously thought possible. The people of Khador are, unsurprisingly, fiercely independent, as is typified by a strong militaristic tradition. All citizens are trained in arms and tactics from an early age, and all able-bodied citizens are considered part of the Khadoran reserves – even the reigning monarch, who has been known to take to the field and fight with the common soldiers. Wizardry and sorcery are uncommon among the Khador, but their regiments are still well supplied with fearsome battle-magicians; the Greylords Covenant (who recently have begun taking to the field in formations of three, known amongst the Greylords as ‘Ternions’). In many respects Khador is behind Cygnar in developing various technologies, but they were quick to see the advantages of rail travel and have spent a great deal of money to get the system underway. Cygnar has simply placed this as a somewhat lower priority, given they already have good roads, excellent river travel, and other alternatives to shipping goods. The Khadoran Warjack are ponderous but brutal, to the end that no light warjack models appear to be utilized by the armed forces. Khador has a long-standing rivalry with Cygnar as the two most dominant kingdoms of the region. There are periodic bloody skirmishes between these two nations, particularly along their shared border. Other battles are sometimes fought by intermediaries such as hired mercenaries, although both governments usually deny responsibility for these hostile actions. Tensions continue to mount and some major armed struggle seems inevitable between King Leto and Queen Vanar. This is typically due to the aggressive, expansionist policies pursued by the Khadoran rulers, with numerous skirmishes (and full-blown engagements) being instigated against their neighbours under the pretence that the territory is rightfully Khador’s by agreements of the Corvis Treaties. Recent History These tensions recently erupted into a full scale war, with the successful Khadoran annexation of Llael. This move was planned and executed under the leadership of the brilliant Kommandant Irusk, and has resulted in the formation of what has been named “The Greater Khadoran Empire”. Cygnar, caught between the expansionist Khador and the zealous, vengeful Protectorate of Menoth, has been so far unable to repulse the Khadoran warmachine, and although its own borders seem secure, appears to be simply too involved in other matters to effectively censure or punish the Khadoran ‘transgression’. Presently, as of 606 A.R., the Khadoran army is rebuilding its forces, following a crushing defeat at Northguard, where the Second Army, led by Kommandant Irusk, were beaten back by Northguard defenders and the reinforcements brought by Cygnaran Warcaster Sebastian Nemo and Victoria Haley, who managed to outflank Khador and inflict three times the casualties that Khador inflicted on the Cygnarans. Empress Ayn, however, still remains confident in Irusk's ability to conquer the "Jewel of the Iron Kingdoms". Historic Figures ''Under Construction =Government and Politics= Under Construction =Law= Under Construction =Foreign Relations= Under Construction =Military= Until the past hundred years or so, Khador's military mainly followed feudalistic lines with the Great Princes outfitting their own private armies marshaled the Kingdom's request. In recent history, the nation has gone through a tremendous modernization initiative in attempt to catch up to the more advanced nations such as it's perennial rival Cygnar. As of 606 A.R., Khador is one of the great military powers of Western Immoren with armed forces that have shifted from fighting skirmishes with rival nations to invading and occupying new territories. The Military's motto is Conquest for the Motherland, People and Army United. Organization Since undergoing revisions during the last two centuries, Khador's military has become much more centralized compared to its feudalistic roots. The Empress has total command of all Khadoran forces; this authority is further split in between the '''Khadoran High Kommand, Khadoran Security, and the Great Princes. Khadoran High Command has by far the most personnel with three Armies and one fleet. The High Kommand is a council that consists of many of the retired military officers of kommander or higher. The executive authority of the council is possessed by the Premier of the High Kommand, currently Mhikol Horscze, who further regulates it to three supreme kommadants. As these three counts stay in Korsk to plan military maneuvers, each has a senior kommadant that runs their respective army in the field. Underneath armies are divisions, kommands, legions, battalions, kompanies, and forces. The 1st Army is considered "the anvil" of the Khador and used for protracted engagements. Emphasizing endurance, the 1st is utilized for siege warfare, occupying and securing enemy territory, and countering guerrilla attacks and riots. It also provides a way to cycle soldiers on more aggressive fronts without removing them from the battlefield. Headed by Supreme Kommadant Krasnovich and Senior Kommadant Ivdanovich, most of the 1st Army is currently occupying Llael. The 2nd Army is called the "the hammer", pointing to its use of offensive maneuvers and aggressive warfare. As such, this army has the largest number of forces, both in manpower and material. Previously used as the first attack on Llael, most of the forces are currently battling Cygnar along the border. The 2nd Army is headed by Supreme Kommadant Gorchakoff and Senior Kommadant Makarov. The 2nd Army recently suffered heavy casulties during an attack against Northguard, and is currently out of commission, pending reinforcements. The 3rd Army, composed of the reserve forces, is called "the forge". Tasked with the training and supplying of recruits, this army also acts as the garrison of Khador itself. The famous 5th Border Legion lies with the 3nd Army, although it usually fights alongside the 2nd Army. This army also helps reinforce the other two armies as needed. Supreme Kommadant Sergevich and Senior Kommadant Szvette (also one of the Great Princes) lead the Forge. The Khadoran Fleet also lies within the Supreme Kommadant of 3rd Army's authority, though Fleet Admiral Nahimov leads it at sea. Khadoran Security reports to the obavnik arbiter of the Greylords Covenant, who in turn reports directly to the Great Vizier (currently Simonyev Blaustavya). The Prikaz, a secret chancellery devoted to domestic threats like espionage and rebellions, also falls under Khadoran Security, usually pulling from the best the Greylords can provide. The Great Princes, rulers of the Volozkya, usually lie outside the normal hierarchy unless they too are officers of the Khadoran military. As such, they normally command their own heirs and households, reporting straight to the Empress. Vladimir Tzepesci, the Dark Prince of Umbrey falls under this category. Personnel Khadoran military service is mandatory for all men by the time they are eighteen and voluntary for women. The Great Princes are exempt from this requirement as they often train, outfit, and muster their own forces in battle extraneous from the normal chain of command. The term of service varies, with the normal length being four to six years. Wealthy kayazy and others with connections can often arrange a shorter term of two years. Training of officers occurs at a variety of military academies, and the most elite of them is the Druzhina in Korsk. The current manpower of under the Khadoran High Kommand is around 538,000 soldiers and sailors. A majority of these men and women serve in the Winter Guard, the backbone of all three Khadoran armies. The rank and file of the military, the Winter Guard is both the common destination of conscripts and the starting place for nearly every more specialized force. Those demonstrating exceptional qualities and aptitudes may apply to branches like the Man-O-Wars, the Iron Fangs, and the Widowmakers. Components The Khadoran Military makes use of a variety of different forces to prosecute military missions. Infantry The Winter Guard is by far the most numerous of Khadoran unit types as most men and women who volunteer or are conscripted find their use here after quick training. Standard equipment for a Winter Guard soldier is a blunderbuss and light armor. A hand axe is also issued for close in fighting. Though not technically infantry, the Winter Guard also trains and employs mortar teams, field gun crews, and rocket launchers. Iron Fang Pikemen are the evolution of the old units of melee soldiers. Each member of the Iron Fangs is equipped with heavy armor, a shield, and a blasting pike. This pike is an explosive-tipped lance capable of piercing even the heaviest warjack's armor. All Iron Fangs are very well trained, and being selected for Iron Fang duty is considered quite an honor. Man-O-Wars are men bolted in steam-powered armor. Due to shortages in the necessary components to make cortices, Khador utilizes these armored soldiers as a replacement to light warjacks. Shocktroopers are normally armed with an Annihilator Blade and a Shield Cannon making them extremely slow but incredibly potent. The Demolition Corps is a subset of the Man-O-Wars that carry ice mauls in both hands. These Man-O-Wars are trained to rip apart enemy warjacks and other heavily armored foes though they lack the protective shielding of the Shocktroopers. Man-O-War Kovniks also exists, allowing for an independent commander that can marshal 'jacks while benefiting from the power of steam. There have been troubles in the past with men dying in the Man-O-War armor due to heat stroke and steam leaks, but the military has shown no sign of stopping the program due to their incredible effectiveness. Only the most elite of soldiers is chosen for Man-O-War training. Assault Kommandos are a new addition to the Khadoran military, appearing only in 605 A.R. They are highly advanced infantry, outfitted with chemical weapons and better armaments than the Winter Guard for an elite unit capable of using gas attacks against the enemy. Cavalry Iron Fang Uhlans are pikemen selected for cavalry duty, and derive much of their traditions from the mounted warriors of old. On their Pozdyov warhorses, the Uhlans keep formation shoulder-to-shoulder as they charge; the already potent force of the blasting pike is multiplied as these Iron Fangs lance their foes. The Man-O-War Drakhun is a unification of the horrific power of the Man-O-Wars and the speed and maneuverability of the Uhlans. This dragoon mounts a rare Karpathan Destrier, the largest horse in Immoren. Issued the same equipment as a shocktrooper, the Drakhun inspires fear in the enemy as it tramples flat those who stand in its way. Special Units Widowmakers are the elite snipers of Khador. Reviled by opponents and feared by even their allies, they nonetheless perform high profile missions like the removal of enemy commanders and preventing friendly officers from being captured alive. The Greylords lie outside of the normal chain of command, though individual Greylord magzievs and units known as Ternions are integrated into the normal armed forces. Expert magic users, they supply a vital element of wizardry to their kommanders. The Covenant itself is under the high obavnik arbiter who in turn reports to the Great Vizier. There are many other more exotic units at Khador's disposal though they exist in fewer number and are less regimented than the normal Khadoran military. Such examples are manhunters, Kossite woodsmen, and the dreaded Doom Reavers. Utilizing the traditions of Khadoran armed forces, the Empire has a variety of holdouts from the old kingdom's days. Support Staff The Battle Mechaniks serve to repair warjacks in the field. Loyal compatriots to the Khadoran Mechaniks Assembly, they usually have already have served in the Winter Guard. As they have fighting experience, the Battle Mechaniks are better seasoned for light skirmishes compared to their Cygnaran counterparts. Warjacks With their chassis crafted by the Khadoran Mechanicks Assembly, the Empire's warjack forces run into the trouble of not having the resources for cortex creation (done by the Greylords Covenant). In response, Khador usually arms and armors the few they have to the utmost, creating slow titans that are notoriously hard to damage that rend through opponents armor when they meet them. However, these warjacks are also rather easy to hit with both close and long range weapons even if their plating isn't usually pierced. A number of warjacks have appeared in recent years that are uniquely Khador. The Kodiak which was created for the 5th Border Legion of the 3rd Army is an all terrain vehicle constructed to take advantage of the forests and hills and mountains of native Khador. The Mechanicks Assembly has also managed to create the one-of-a-kind Behemoth, an armored monstrosity equipped with multiple bombard cannons (and a subcortex to control them), tremendous armor, and piercing fists capable of demolishing nearly anything it engages in melee. The costs were staggering and could only be supported by Great Vizier Blaustavya organizing the kayazy to bankroll the remainder of the project. The result is one of the most expensive and powerful warjacks to tread modern Immoren. Notable Military Units Irusk's Advance Assault Force - drawn from the 4th Assault Legion, 9th Kommand, 3rd Division, 2nd Army, the Advance Assault Force is Supreme Kommandant Gurvalt Irusk's personal siege unit, and is relied on by the Kommandant when he needs to overrun particularly troublesome defensive lines or fortified positions. The force is exclusively compromised of Iron Fang and Man-O-War units with supporting Destroyers, Devastators, Juggernauts and Spriggans. Their motto is Walls ahead, rubble behind. 111th Infatry Battalion - Known among the troops as The Unbreakable 111, this Winter Guard battalion is considered one of the most prestigious in the Khadoran military. The battalion earned its sobriquet after it was nearly annihilated twice during battles with Cygnar. After the battalions second near-death experience, leaving a single kapitan alive, the man refused to allowe the battalion to be retired, coining the 111ths motto Fighting to the last man. The battalion is currently lead by Kovnik Josef Grigorovich. Notable Military Figures Supreme Kommandant Gurvalt Irusk - A tactical genius and inspirational leader of men, Irusk is the architect of the recent successful campaign against, and subsequent occupation of Llael. He is driving the Khadoran army towards greater success, and seeks to modernise the Motherland’s armies to crush all opposition. To this end, he has recently taken Forward Kommander Kratikoff under his wing (after she lost her previous mentor, Vladimir Tzepesci) and looks to direct her rage and grief towards his own ends. Forward Kommander Sorscha Kratikoff - the Khador 'Signature Character', Kratikoff is somewhat of a ‘prodigy’ within the Khadoran armed forces. A seemingly emotionless woman (even able to work alongside the man who slaughtered her father, Orsus Zoktavir, when she was yet a child) with a ‘heart of ice’, she revels in crushing the enemies of the Motherland in the field of battle. Her relationship (both personal and professional) with Vladimir Tzepesci thawed her somewhat, although since his recent disappearance she has hardened further, and seeks only to destroy. Kommander Orsus Zoktavir, the Butcher of Khardov – Seven and a half feet of enraged Warcaster, who gained infamy by slaughtering the “traitorous” inhabitants of a Khadoran village near Boarsgate. Despite some criticism of these actions – killing a handful of militiamen who wished to parley, followed by his own forces as they attempted to restrain him, Zoktavir was fully exonerated by Queen Vanar XI, who cited his acts as the work of a ‘true patriot’. He carries with him the great mechanikal axe 'Lola'. Kommander Alexander Karchev – Known as ‘The Man in the Machine’ (and to others simply as ‘Karchev the Terrible’), this famous leader has been involved in countless Khadoran engagements during his more than century long involvement in the military. Following terrible wounds he received in the Battle of the Tongue, his broken body was interred into a modified Warjack chassis, and although it has done nothing to improve his temperament or mental state, it nonetheless allows him to continue destroying the enemies of the Motherland. Kovnik Jozef Grigorovich - When offered a promotion to kommander after a lifetime of service, Jozef Grigorovich flatly refused. Kovnik was the highest rank he could attain and still march into battle side by side with his brothers and sisters of the Winter Guard. Even Kommanant Irusk praises his tactical cunning, but the seasoned Grigorovich is most famed for his stirring speeches to men in the field, compelling even the greenest recruits to attempt acts of selfless heroism in the name of the Motherland. Vladimir Tzepesci, the Dark Prince of Umbrey – The last of the fabled (and doomed) Tzepesci bloodline, the sole remaining ‘Great House’ of Khador, Tzepesci is a relic of a by-gone age. Born to wage war, he wears the armour and bears the weapons of his ancestors. Under Queen Vanar’s reign, he has led armies and trained other Warcasters, with his most recent student being Sorscha Kratikoff. During the Llaelese campaign, Tzepesci disappeared when attempting to sabotage the plans of Asphyxious, and was presumed dead. It subsequently appeared that he was ‘saved’ by the Old Witch of Khador, who has her own plans for the Dark Prince. =Administrative Divisions= Khador is split up into eighteen provinces called Volozkya. Traditionally feudal domains, each volozkya is ruled by a Great Prince which in turn owes allegiance to the Empress. *Borstoi *Dorognia *Duwarkyn *Feodoska *Gorzytska *Khadorstred (Contains the national capital, Korsk) *Khardoska *Korskovny *Kos *Noveskyev *Rustoknia *Sargetstea *Skirovnya *Tamanskaia *Tverkatka *Umbresk *Vardenska *New Umbrey (Occupied Llael)This is a point under contention at present as some wish to maintain the Llael system of duchies while others wish to incorporate this territory into Umbresk or form a new province out of it. =Economy= Under Construction Transportation Under Construction =Demographics= Under Construction Ethnic Groups Khards - Living mostly in central and southern Khador, the Khards make up the majority of the Khadoran population. Kossites - The Kossites are most likely to be found living in northern Khador, where they practise their considerable hunting skills. Skirov Umbreans (Llaelese) - The Umbreans live in eastern Khador, towards the Llaelese border. Most Umbreans are looked down upon by most Khadorans as traitors, due to the rulers of Umbrey willingly becoming part of Llael following the Border Wars. Some Umbreans, however, are wieved as paragons of the Khadoran spirit, Vladimir Tzepesci being a fine example. Languages Khadoran - Khadoran evolved from the now archaic Khard root language. Literacy is not necessarily common among people speaking Khadoran. Khard - The oldest language in Khador. Khard is almost exclusively known by the Menite clergy, since many ancient Menite documents were written in Khard. Llaelese - Llaelese is spoken mostly by the people of occupied Llael, as well as some Umbreans. As a language, Llaelese has not changed significantly in the many centuries it has existed. Religion During the Thousand Cities Era what is now Khador worshiped Menoth along with the rest of the civilized world. When the Ogroth invaded and occupied the Khardic Empire, many began turning towards Morrow for shelter, a trend that has continued to this day. However, much of the Khadoran aristocracy and many of the citizenry remain true to what is known as the Old Faith. Unlike the Menites of the Protectorate , those that follow the Old Faith tend to be less zealous, though still disapproving of Morrowan worship. Scrutators do not have the authority afforded them in the Protectorate, and several Menite orders have factionalized upon nationalistic grounds. The ecclesiastical ranks of the Old Faith parallel that of the Protectorates clerical hierarchy, and many of the Khadoran Menites consider the Hierarch their spiritual leader, even if they owe their loyalty to the Empire. The shared god of the Old Faith and the Protectorate of Menoth allowed formally warm relations among the two countries, especially compounded by the shared enemy of Morrowan Cygnar. It was under these conditions that Khador helped arm the Protectorate with the materials and warjacks that created the Protectorate's army. When Ayn Vanar XI came to the throne as Queen, she initially courted the Old Faith. However, the Empress severed the close relations and outlawed continued support to the southern nation recently, a maneuver Hierarch Voyle has countered by ordering all faithful Menites to gather in the Protectorate. Khador has ensured that no mass exodus of the Old Faith leave their nation, sometimes by brutal measures. Education Up until recently, most Khadoran education was handeled on a master-apprenticeship system. With the recent push for modernization within the Kingdom over the past few centuries, Khador has embraced modern learning systems to achieve national power more quickly. The old system of apprenticeship remains prominent however, and warcasters are mainly taught via this method. Khadoran Institute of Engineering Established in 295 A.R. by Queen Cherize, this institute is located in the capital city of Korsk. The Khadoran Institute of Engineering is the premier Khadoran research institute in such fields as clockwork, hydraulics, steam power, metallurgy, cortex construction, and mechanicks. Mostly used as a means to supply engineers to the Khadoran Mechaniks Assembly, competent students are inducted into the organization (or the Greylords Covenant if the students expertise lies within applicable fields). The coursework is grueling when compared to Cygnaran institutes, but the Khadoran Institute of Engineering prides itself on its remarkable efficiency. As one of the major exporters of Khadoran military technology, the entire complex is protected by a division of Winter Guard to ensure the Institute's secrets don't fall into the wrong hands. Renowned outside of Khador too, the Institute houses a great industrial capability to help bring theories to fruition, along with large workshops staffed by senior faculty. The premises also contains a museum displaying past works of Khadoran engineering. The Nine Boards A collection of nine buildings in Skrovenberg, this college has a structure dedicated to Foreign Affairs, War, Admiralty, Revenues, Justice, Commerce, Mining, Estates, and Expenses. Currently under construction is a tenth school for Mathematics. Military Education Druzhina, the elite military academy in Korsk, is the major training institute for army officers. Other assorted schools throughout the country exist to train the next generation of Khadoran leaders; the Khadoran Military Academy at Volningrad exists to prepare applicants for these programs in the ways of soldiering and land navigation. The Admiralty College is located in Skrovenberg to provide for the Khadoran Fleet's similar need of officers. =Culture= Under Construction =See also= Under Construction =Notes= =External links= *Privateer Press